By PAUL CIFONELLI
Our Lady of Mercy junior Katie Whitaker anchored her team this season en route to a 17-6 record and a trip to the Section V Class AA semifinals. Whitaker scored 9.5 points and grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game while dishing out one assist and swatting 0.9 shots.
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With a complete 20-game season under her belt, Whitaker scored 190 points. She shot 49.3 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three and 64 percent from the line. In her sophomore season when she played only 13 games, Whitaker scored 9.3 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from behind the arc and 71.8 percent from the charity stripe.
The 6-foot-4 center made her biggest impact on the glass this season. She excelled at extending offensive possessions and finishing off defensive stops. Whitaker averaged 5.5 defensive rebounds per game and 2.7 offensive rebounds per game. Her rebounding numbers this season were nearly double what they were during her sophomore season, when she averaged 4.7 boards per game.
The third year varsity player had multiple big games this season. Her season-best in the scoring column was a 19-point outburst against Amherst (Section VI), while she her three made threes against Williamsville North Section VI) was the most she made in a game. Also in the Amherst game, Whitaker handed out five assists. The first-team all-league center grabbed 15 rebounds against Fairport, blocked five shots against Clarence and racked up three steals against Bishop Ludden (Section III).
Whitaker plays for Monarchs Elite on the AAU circuit.
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